The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-05-12

l hit on myself, an shurc knew more |
about chimneys than any one else i'll
the place. Twas getting late, too;
there wouldn't be much more than an
other half-hour of daylight, an the
wind was rising-I could hear ii whistl |
ing through the trees. BY this time
people knew what had happened. an a
crowd was collecting; could see them
see them coming from all parts. for of |
course had view all about l saw n
boy 80 up to the door of the counting
house. an presently Master Phillip |
came out, running as if for his life.
When he came he took the command
like. an began giving directions; an
the people. who had only stared ut first.
now ran here and there rs he sent them.
First they brought out a long ladder,
an fixed it on the roof below the chin
mev l could have told them that twas
too short, knowing rs l did the length
of every ladder in the place but some
how. though heard their shouts plain
", could not make them hear mine;
it seemed rs if the voices went up, like
smoke. Then there was great delay,
while they went for Il longer ladder;
and this, too didn't reach half way.
A man climed up it, however, an call
ed out to know had 4 bit of string in
my pocket that | could let down. Not
a bit could find. had had big ball
only the day before. but had taken it
out an put it on shelf at home. l
took off my braces, and fastened them
an my pocket handkerchief together;
but they didn't near reach the top of
the ladder so that plan had to be given
up.
All this time the wind was rising
an l was getting numb with the cold
an stiff an cramped from being so
long in the one position. There was Il
big clock right over the gateway just
opposite, an saw that it only wanted
20 minutes to five; an once the dark
ness set in what little hope l had would
be gone.
Master Philip seemed to have gone
away by this time, but there was my
father among the crowd; an VIII o
should see, standing next to him, an
holding on by his arm, but Katie!
They had forgotten everything but
the fright about me, an he seemed to
he talking to her, an comforting her
After bit saw Master Philip again;
he had big thing in his hand looking
like pocket handkerchiefs stretched
| over a frame, an saw that it was a
kite, an that they meant to send up a
string to me in that way. But you
never in all your life saw such an I'M
manageable kite. First twas too
| heavy, then twas too light, an then
the time they seemed to lose making
tail to steady it. l heard after that
| part of that same tail was made of
bank notes Master Philip took out of
his pocket when he could get nothing
else quick enough. He got them back
| later. for not Il man, woman or child
in the place would have touched one of
them when they SAW HIM using them
| in that way.
When the kite did 60 up at last, the
wind was so high that they could not
manage it properly. 1t came very near
string. nearly oyer-reaching myself in
doing so; but N ssei it, an just then
there came terrible gust of wind, the
string broke, an the kite was carried
away, an stuck fast in the branches of
big tree behind the masters house.
| looked over at the clock to see how
much time was left me, an l found l
could not see the hands any longer; the
| darkness had come on in the last few
minutes. Then gave up all hope, for
| knew never could hold on till morn
ing. / tried to think of death, an to
make myself ready for it, but couldn't
not prayer nor \ good word could
l call to mind, only going over an
over again in my head the way 'twould
all happen-how the people would go
away one by one, how I'd be left alone
in the darkness an the bowling wind
an how at last I'd not be able to hold
on any longer, an fall, an be found in
the morning all crushed out of shape.
The people below seemed to have given
up all thought of helping now, an were
standing quite quiet. Twas so dark
by this time l could not distinguish the
faces at all; l could just make out
Master Philip in his dark suit among
the white mill men, an poor Katie.
She was crouching down on the ground
now. her apron over her head All of
sudden saw her leap up, with a
great cry. an clap her hands an call
out something. Then there was a
confused sort of shout, as if every one
in the crowd was saying the same
thing at the same time, an then Mast
er Philip making sign to silence
them, put his two hands up to his
mouth an sang out in voice that
came up to me above the noise of the
wind;
take off your stocking and ravel it.;
the thread will reach the ground"
At first didn't understand him, being
dazed like, but then the meaning came
on me like a message from heaven.
got off on one of my socks with some
trouble-nice new ones they were, too,
of Katie's own knitting, that she had
given me for a Christmas box-an'
with the help of my teeth loosened
one end of the thread, 1t gave readily
enough after that. an when l had g
good piece of it ripped, tied my knife
. to make 1t heavy. an let it drop. rip
ping more an more of the sock as i
went down. Then felt it stop, ant
presently there came shout telling mt
l to wind it up again. Very slowly ant
= carefully did it, fearing the string
| ..,.,,li l~,ool- xx,Lo,, ho loot hit ~